Anti-AI sentiment gets big applause at SXSW 2024 as storytellers dub AI cheerleading as ‘terrifying bullsh**’

A whiff of anti-AI sentiment acquired massive applause on the SXSW convention in Austin this afternoon. Award-winning writers and administrators Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively often called “DANIELS,” initially premiered their movie “All the pieces In every single place All at As soon as” at SXSW in 2022. The film later went on to win seven Oscars, together with Greatest Image, Greatest Director, and Greatest Screenplay. In a dialog about the way forward for storytelling, the duo commented on the inevitable rise of AI and how one can strategy it, calling the know-how each “superb” and “terrifying.”

As Kwan first defined, fashionable capitalism solely labored as a result of we compelled individuals to work, somewhat than compelled them to take action.

“We needed to change the story we informed ourselves and say that ‘your worth is your job,” he informed the viewers. “You’re solely price what you are able to do, and we’re not beings with an inherent price. And for this reason it’s so exhausting to search out success on this present system. The system works greatest whenever you’re not fulfilled,” he mentioned, then paused. “Which brings me again to AI,” Kwan continued to a thunder of applause and cheers.

Remarking that the gang should love AI, given the hoots and hollering that was being heard, Kwan admitted that many individuals will name the know-how superb and he agreed.

“It’s magic,” he mentioned. “It’s in all probability going to resolve most cancers. It’s in all probability going to provide us a whole lot of local weather options. This can be a highly effective factor,” Kwan continued. “However I’m actually petrified of what this new story we’re going to have to inform ourselves to be able to settle for this new comfort, this new progress. It’s terrifying,” he added as a single solitary voice cheered within the now in any other case quiet crowd.

“So think about what this know-how will do inside this present system, inside this present incentive construction. This is similar system that introduced us local weather change, earnings inequality, and the overall lack of gratitude and understanding of our price and the price of these round us,” Kwan mentioned.

Plus, he famous, in case you are feeling anxious about AI, it’s in all probability as a result of, deep down, you recognize you’re subsequent. “Even when the roles aren’t going to be misplaced, the worth of the job will go down, proper? … It is going to slowly be compounded and normalized till we don’t even understand it,” he mentioned.

Kwan pointed to how social media had already altered our story. A know-how meant to attach us ended up making us lonelier than now we have ever been. However, with AI, we nonetheless have the chance to “rewrite the tales and rewrite the methods for tomorrow,” he defined.

Nonetheless, he cautioned that didn’t imply we might select to disregard AI’s progress and even its usefulness.

“I additionally need to say, we’re not saying ‘don’t use AI.’ I don’t imagine in dogmas. I don’t imagine in that sort of puritanical life-style — it doesn’t work. AI is right here. It will be quickly deployed in each facet of our life,” Kwan mentioned.

Scheinert agreed, including that, as a substitute, individuals ought to take into consideration why they’re utilizing AI.

“Are you attempting to make use of it to create the world you need to dwell in? Are you attempting to make use of it to extend worth in your life and concentrate on the issues that you just actually care about? Or are you simply attempting to, like, make some cash for the billionaires, you recognize?”  Scheinert requested the viewers. “And if somebody tells you, there’s no facet impact. It’s completely nice, ‘get on board’ — I simply need to go on the document and say that’s terrifying bullshit. That’s not true. And we ought to be speaking actually deeply about how one can rigorously, rigorously deploy these items,” he mentioned.

The group then erupted into sustained applause.

They, too, had their reservations about AI, it appeared.

Kwan jumped again in so as to add that folks want to take a look at why it “feels so fallacious to make use of AI,” whereas additionally surviving this present surroundings the place AI will principally be in all places. He additionally reminded the viewers why we create artwork.

“Why did we write ‘All the pieces In every single place All at As soon as’ the way in which we did? And the reply is, we did it to avoid wasting ourselves. Each story … that we make is an act of saving ourselves and our price from a system that desires to devalue us and the people who we care about,” Kwan mentioned.